Charming The Wizard
by Mooncat99
Summary: It’s hot in Trenton, especially in a building with no air condition - like RangeMan. Steph takes action. Babe.
1. Chapter 1

Author: Mooncat

Title: Charming The Wizard

Summary: It's hot in Trenton, especially in a building with no air condition - like RangeMan. Steph takes action. Babe.

Warnings: Sweet torture… and definitely some action there in the end.

Disclaimer: The characters belong to JE.

Copyright: Sarah Diaz 2005

_**Charming The Wizard**_

**I**

The RangeMan building was the top of the cream. You couldn't get better equipment, there was no safer place for your body and vehicles and the atmosphere was friendly and loaded with testosterone. Not so much of a problem for me when the testosterones came from such yummie men. In my eyes, the first quality Rangemen had to have to be able to take on this job was that they were downright sexy and had such good looks that they looked as if they just got out of the cover of GQ. I doubt though that Ranger would agree with me. He probably would say that it was the training and experience that counted the most. And their - ah special talents, if you get my drift.

But there was one exception where the RangeMan building totally sucked and I had only just come to learn of this one big disadvantage in the past few weeks.

No air conditioning.

And when Trenton just got hit with the biggest heat wave it ever had seen – well, believe me, it was not funny. Especially in a room full of sweaty, big, strong males. Usually surely a favorite of mine – but even my nose sometimes won over my Hungarian/Italian hormones. Though I wouldn't have believed it before this heat wave.

Now, I never was one to leave a complaint be unsaid and I reasonably voiced my complaints the first day the thermometer climbed over 90 degree. This said I dialed Ranger while he was in some business meeting about his sold out of one of his four RangeMan offices.

The boss shortly told me to just deal with it and hung up again.

Of course I repeated my complaint the very next day again.

Same answer.

Next, I delivered my complaints in person – covered in sweet and I fear not smelling too good after a whole long day in the incubator the 6th floor had turned into.

Ranger wasn't impressed and told me I was free to take as many cold showers up in his apartment as I wished.

Not that that wasn't tempting, but somehow I doubted my inbox would delete itself while I stayed in the shower all day. I had come to really like my job as a researcher for Ranger and intended to keep it. Besides: I was on a mission now. I saw it as my good deed for all the poor sweating employees at RangeMan.

After three more insistent days on my part Ranger was finally enough annoyed with my repeated and getting more and more urgent complaints that he informed me that he had had the air conditioning disabled after the first two years because the men started to get lazy and preferred to stay inside in the cool rooms rather than be out in the scorching heat. Now that it was even worse inside than outside, he never had that problem again.

I digested that and found it highly unfair that I had to suffer for the sins of the other employees. So I came up with a plan to convince Ranger to get the air conditioning reinstalled.

If you know Ranger then you'll know that this was really some mission I had put on my humble shoulders. Ranger never was forced by anyone to do something he didn't want to. Usually _he_ was the one who 'convinced' others to do something _they_ didn't want. He was ex special forces and just the shit, a walking weapon. He was the Wizard of Oz.

But there was another reason why I was determined to do this: I had gotten an idea about how I could convince Ranger about the air conditioning – and it would just suit my other mission in life so very well as well: Get Ranger. Ranger wasn't just the most dangerous guy around Trenton (probably the whole world if you ask me), but also the most sexiest man alive. And I happened to be a free, sex deprived single with constant dreams about my night with a certain Cuban sex good a _long_ time ago. Plus, in the six months I was working for RangeMan now I had a few epiphanies: First, I loved Joe, but we just wouldn't ever work out and end up hating each other. And I loved him too much to want to risk that. Thankfully he had come to the same decision. So now we were friends – very good friends. Second, and that really had shook me: I was in love with Ranger. And third: If I ever wanted a chance with the one my heart had chosen for me I needed to seriously work him toward accepting me into his most private life.

Unfortunately, Ranger believed firmly that his life didn't lend itself to a relationship. That he was no family material. Well, perhaps that was even true, I mean, he did have a very dangerous life and I'd rather not think about just how many enemies this man had - but I wasn't out for a ring or kids (just please don't tell that my mom. She'd have a heart attack for sure!). I just wanted to be with him and see where crazy fate took us to. Problem is: just how do you charm the wizard?

I was quiet for a few days after Ranger's explanation, working out the details of my plan while I let him believe that I had finally accepted my unavoidable fate of sweating to a pool in my cubicle. Otherwise also known as the calm before the storm. I stopped eating sugar and got in contact with RangeMan's designer with the help of Ella. Yep, a whole designer, just for us. Though it buggers me for what, I mean, how many different black work clothes can you need? But it was part of the job description to wear the business clothes to work and I wouldn't want to go against the RangeMan policy, would I?

My special ordered outfit came yesterday and it was sitting in the bag under my desk now. At the moment, Ranger was out on a bust, but we just got the call that they were heading back. I smiled.

Time to put the plan into action.

I took my bag and headed up to the 7th floor to take one of those showers Ranger had offered me – a very welcome cold refreshment, believe me. Perfect timing wanted it that today was the hottest day ever registered in Trenton and the air was sizzling with heat. It would be such a relief to get out of the sticky clothes and into my new outfit.

Though outfit was perhaps a bit of an exaggeration…

* * *

I felt the eyes honing in on me the moment I stepped out of the elevator onto the deck and I self-consciously shook my hair out of my face with one movement of the head. It was perhaps a part of my imagination but I was almost certain I heard a few groans. I did what every girl that knew exactly what she was doing to the men around her did: I walked over to my cubicle, letting my hips sway in a decent rhythm, and pretended I was totally unaware of the burning gazes that followed me, mesmerized.

Once in my cubicle I smiled a little smile while I checked with my inbox. Three new requests from, surprise, surprise, Rodriguez. I've never met the guy so far, but I sure learned to hate him. He gave me entirely too much work – and the researches for him were always so boring. Nothing compared to the requests I got from the boss himself – or any other of his core team.

For about ten minutes I dutifully fulfilled my job before I went to the next step of my plan: Make sure the men haven't forgotten my presence. So I let out a deep, throaty sigh I was sure was heard even at the cubicle farest away from mine and pushed pack from my desk to stand up. Again I was met by everyone's heavy gaze on me, but I pretended once more to not notice it and minced along on my seven inch high heels over to the refrigerator. When the cool air washed over me I let out an appreciative groan, then bent down to put my head into the cool relief. Of course I was careful to only bent down so far that the men in the room didn't get too good a look… just enough that every hot blooded hetero man in the room should have felt very uncomfortable suddenly, sitting on their chairs in tight pants. Finally, when I thought they had enjoyed the view long enough, I straightened up again, a limo in hand, and retreated, hips swaying, back to my cubicle and my researches.

This time I was positive I had heard several groans.

For an hour I had mercy on the men in the room and stayed where I was. But the boss hadn't come down yet, though I knew he was in by now, so I decided it was time for the next little torturous show. I left my cubicle, the empty limo bottle slightly swinging with my steps until I discarded it into the PET ton, moving again to the refrigerator. This time I wouldn't bend, but just grabbed a bottle of water with a tormented sigh, then walked back with my booty. But about seven minutes later, I swayed back to the refrigerator, opening the freezer and grabbing myself a box of ice cubes and then a little bowl from one of the shelves. Under the watchful eyes of the Rangemen I pressed out an entire box of ice cubicles, refilled it with water and put it back into the freezer and back to my work it was.

I put some of the cubes into a glass of water and sipped it with a sigh of relief. Something heavy dropped to the floor in the next cubicle and I smiled.

Five minutes later I let out another tormented groan and leaned down in my chair, pushing it inconspicuously just so far away with my feet that I knew the men in the room had a good look on my upper half body – just to the top of my cleavage to be exactly. I eyed the bowl of ice cubes innocently then finally reached over to take two into my hand and leant back in my chair, letting my head fall back, my hair cascading down in wild curls. When the ice connected with my hot skin on my forefront I shuddered in pleasure. Slowly, I moved my hand holding the ice down my left cheek to my throat, resting it there for a moment, then moved it even more slowly down my naked shoulder and arm and up again. I moaned in ecstasy when the ice skimmered along the hem of my black top.

"Oops!" I giggled when I 'accidentally' let one of the cubes fall down the slit of the deeply low cut top and gasped a little before I let it turn into a snug sigh and my eyes flattered close. With torturous slowness I finished the way of the second cube down and up my other arm, further up the throat and, with a little detour to my neck, it finally was melted completely down, having left a wet trail all over my upper body.

But I wasn't finished yet wit the ice cubes. I grabbed another one and leisurely started to suck it loudly, mixing it with a delightful shudder or a moan that was just this bit short of being orgasmic. Only when the cube was too melted down to be of any use anymore I swallowed it and finished the show by sitting up straight again with a contented sigh, concentrating back on my work.

Several chairs were pushed back with curses and more than half of the men in the room left either for the bathroom or the stairs – probably to go take a nice long cold shower.

Smiling the most satisfied and sly grin I could muster I looked up at the camera nearest to my cubicle and raised my eyebrows in a triumphant question.

If I wasn't very wrong I bet the boss would come down any minute now to take matters in his own hand – and to prevent me from doing further damage to the work moral of his precious men.

Good.

I was waiting for him.

* * *

TBC!

_(Author's Note: Well, well, well, I'm asking myself just what Ranger thinks about his Babe's - heat problem. Stay tuned to find out!)_


	2. Chapter 2

**II**

_Damn her!_

Damn her all the way to hell!

Let's see how she'll like the heat there! But then, I'm pretty sure there's no place in this universe where it's hotter at the moment than right here at RangeMan…

Damn her!

I glared at the screen, at her open declare of war, and grinded my teeth. The nerve of her… Never had anyone dared to challenge me so directly in front of all my men! Surely had never anyone survived after asking for it like this so far. And damn her, but there had been a second where I contemplated to not break that rule this time either. If it had been anyone but her…

_Dios._

Had she even contemplated what this, this… _this_ would do to my image? To the respect of my men? Or did she just decide to play around a little? No… Of course she had no idea. That she'd made me look ridiculous in front of my men. What a boss was I when I allowed her to walk around like that after all? She was oblivious to the fact that I'd appear to be totally her slave!

But then, I couldn't blame them for thinking that, couldn't I? Because that was exactly what I was. Completely and totally her slave.

_Joder._

And that _me_!

Breathing hard, I looked at her, drank in her beauty.

I should have seen it coming. Steph had given up about the air conditioning way too easy. First pestering me every day with her complaints and then nothing. Oh yeah, I should have _known_ it… Still, I preferred to ignore the hair standing up and the feeling of foreboding and rather wanted to believe that for once, I've won the battle.

_¡Cómo es estúpido!_

And even if I had anticipated something, it wouldn't have been that. Good, this was my Babe after all. I've learned years ago to always expect her to do the unexpected. But _this_? No… never in a million years. I wouldn't have thought her bold enough to go to such lengths. One of the most adorable things about my Babe was her astonishing prudishness after all. Oh, I know she wouldn't agree at all with me. But really, that was what she was – well, at least for New Jersey standards.

Her in that outfit…

There had been times where she would have blushed furiously about being so - undressed in public. And now…

_Dios mio…_

Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes and let my head fall back, not trusting myself to stare at her for one more moment. Uncomfortably, one of my hand rubbed over the painful bulge at the front of my pants. The cargo pants were supposed to be roomy… What a lie, I thought darkly, shifting in order to try to find a more comfortable position, even though I knew how pointless it was. There wouldn't be any relief. Not even the coldest shower in the world or the best hand job I could muster up would take care of that hard on. Short of storming down there, swinging her over my shoulder, bringing her into my bedroom and then lock us in there for an unknown amount of time, nothing would help with the agonizing avid mania I was feeling. And not just since her show with those damn ice cubes… no.

This yearning went deeper – and for way longer than just an hour or so.

The last time this allconsuming yearning for her had gotten so unbearable that I had thought I would explode of desire any moment now, I had made one of the stupidest things in my life: I tricked her into having sex with me.

I had thought sex would free me from my torment.

_Idiota inusitadamente!_

I couldn't have been more wrong. There never had been even one single second of sex during that incredible night. Oh, we coupled all right… but it had been the purest love making I ever had experienced in my life. These few hours, an eternity, had been undoubtless the most intense, luscious, lascivious and astounding bliss of my life.

_¡Dios, qué esa mujer hizo a mí!_

But she never had an idea of it. For all she knew she had just been another fuck for me. And I never corrected her. That morning back then… I had never felt more ashamed and low in my life than then. She had laid in my arms, exhaustion finally having overwhelmed her and my heart had broken.

What had I done?

Taken her trust, tricking her into sleeping with me, taking her when I well knew she wasn't entirely free and for what? A scratch of an itch. It had been wrong. Not the love making – but the way I got it. It hadn't mattered that my world had just shuttered. It hadn't mattered that she had just branded me with her fervent kisses, had tied me with her wildly rooming hands… had bound me to her for the rest of eternity with my name on her lips when she had came again and again for me. That when I had came, deeply buried inside in her, feeling for the first time in my life at peace, at home, I had finally understood.

I loved her.

Simple as that.

Scary as that.

Impossible as that.

So I had left her as soon as she had opened her eyes. I just couldn't bring myself to leave while she still slept. I couldn't do that to her on top of everything. Besides - leaving her bed was pretty much the last thing I ever wanted to do. Which was exactly why I had to leave eventually - worse, leave her. Free her. So I told her to go fix her relationship with Morelli a little afterwards. And then I started to tell her that there never could be a relationship between us other than the one we already had with each other.

I tried to stay away from her. I really did.

But I just couldn't. I was drawn to her like the mot to the flame, needed to be in her warm presence at least a little like I needed the air to breath. And I needed to stay close to keep her safe. Which was strange, because one of the biggest reasons why I couldn't allow myself to get even closer to Steph was to keep her safe from my enemies. But she had started to attract more and more dangerous psychos, managed to get in more deadly situations than ever. And despite my efforts, the efforts of the whole staff of RangeMan and each and every one of my contract agents, I nearly had lost her forever time and time again. First to Abruzzi. Then to the crazy Cone brothers. Then to the Slayers. And lastly even almost to a funeral parlor…

I didn't get it. I was one of the bests. My men were some of the best trained soldiers in the world. I had nearly unlimited resources. Yet, I couldn't seem to manage to keep her safe.

So I did the most sadomasochistic thing of my life: I hired her as a full time employee, hoping that when she did researches for the most part of her time she would be safer. If I kept her as close as I dared, then perhaps the threats to her life would lessen. So far it did. There hadn't been any serious threat heading her way since Stiva.

But it did hell to my self control. To have her so close, to smell her sweet scent all over the building, to be able to see her every day, to talk to her, to laugh with her, to train with her…

And then she split with Morelli. From the way he glares at me every time we cross paths, what was unfortunately quite often, I suppose at least he thinks I'm the reason for the most recent break up of them. At first I had thought that it was one of their usual off again times. But it lated and slowly me and everyone else in Trenton started to grasp the unthinkable thruth that this time it had been for good.

She was finally single. Since four months. To be exact: Four tormentous months, three weeks and five days.

I was scared shitless.

Slowly, I opened my eyes again to gaze at her bowed head while she concentrated back on work for a change instead on trying to torment my men and me. She had gone for the 'just fucked' look with her hair. It drove me crazy with need.

Fuck, _she_ drives me crazy. Period.

But I couldn't let her win. For the sake of my reputation, for her safety, I just couldn't give in. Besides, air conditioning really was hell on RangeMan's efficiency.

Involuntarily, my eyes wandered over her body and the ridiculous excuse of an outfit she wore, before I dragged them away from the way too deep cleavage and looked at the nearly deserted 6th floor. Heck, two thirds of my staff had taken off to take care of the little tent each of them wore. And I was pretty certain that those who hadn't fallen yet just held themselves back to watch what else she had up her sleeve, figuratively speaking. This outfit sure didn't come with any sleeves.

Normally I would have had each and every one of them skinned. Steph wasn't here to be leered at by the idiots. But God, no way could I blame them this time.

If it was possible to bottle Steph up in little vials or making pills of her there wouldn't be a man alive with impotency problems. Not even gay ones. She was sex pure.

Wars could be won with her manufactured. Release a drop of Babe Essential Zero-One and no man would be thinking about tactics anymore but drop the weapon and race home to fuck his woman. As it was I was certain that no one but perhaps Ella was still working in this building.

I had felt it immediately when I had come back from the bust. Something had been up. It had started with Gonzales at the reception in the main hall. He hardly had registered me standing right in front of him to go fetch some package that had been delivered there for me. On the way up to my office in the sixth floor I had stopped on the third floor to get some Intel on three of my FTA's. Normally when I step onto a deck, the air immediately is busy and filled with respect, mixed with a little bit of fear, just how it should be. This time I was hardly noticed again and I had noticed that most people's eyes had been transfixed on their screens. Frowning, I had gotten my files then headed up to my own office, determined to find out what was going on. On the way to my office I passed Tank's open door and saw that he too was glued to the monitor in front of him, with a slightly shocked expression. We had been together on the bust. What could bring him to look so shocked in such a short time?

When I had stepped to him he hadn't looked up. And I had noticed that there was a suspicious bulge at the front of his pants which sure as hell hadn't been there a few minutes ago. I had frowned and started to call him when my eyes fell on what exactly he was staring at and I had nearly chocked on the curse that I wanted to mutter.

_¡Madre santa del dios!_

And then all thoughts had left me while all my blood rushed with painful force to my dick.

There was Steph's perfect ass raised up at us, the black mini she wore just barely stopping the whole world to see straight up to the home base. You just knew, if she leaned a few inches deeper into the refrigerator, you'd see the nirvana.

_Jesus._

Stifling a disappointed groan, I had watched mesmerized as she finally straightened up again with a limo in her hand and turned toward us and this time I hadn't been able to stop the air rushing out of me in a tormented gasp, while Tank voiced my thoughts in a very expletive curse.

_Damn her._

How the hell had she gotten this outfit? There was even the familiar 'RangeMan' logo over her left breast, embroided onto the ridiculous excuse for a top that, strapless even as well, started just above the rim of her breasts and ended just under them, leaving a lot of honey golden colored light skin left to see until the skirt came, riding very low on her hips. With a dry throat I had watched as she minced on her knee high, black leather stilettos on ridiculous high heels back to her cubicle, her hips swaying suggestively, hypnotizing everyone who watched her cat walk. Only once she had sat back down on her chair, I had been able to breath again. The thinking part had to wait a bit longer though.

Silently, Tank and I had stared at the screen until Tank finally turned to me, his eyes wide, but dark with desire. "Fuck… what does she want?"

"Air conditioning." Good, talking worked.

"You sure that's all she wants?" Tank asked with a raised eyebrow.

_Si. No. ¡No podria pensar!_

Tank had looked back to the monitor. "I'll look around to see who can get us the best offer."

That was when the anger finally had kicked in. "No," I had growled and pushed away to leave.

"Ric," Tank had called after me and I had stopped momentarily, not looking back though. "You're fucked," Tank stated.

No joke. But he was wrong. I wasn't fucked.

_Soy muerto._

Once I was in my office (in the small one up in my apartment - I hadn't trusted to go to the one on the sixth - way too close to my Babe) I had turned on my own screen to see what other torture my Babe had in mind, all the time repeating to myself that I couldn't let her win. When she had started to run those damn ice cubes all over her upper body I had tried to picture her how she had looked after the Slayers had gotten to her. All I could see was her sweaty, velvet skin, so white against the darker tone of my hands when I was kneading her perfect breasts.

_Not_ helping. But at least it made it temporarily unable for me to walk anywhere – like down to the sixth floor to go fetch my woman. I nearly came when she started to suck that damn ice cube but I managed to stay firm.

I wouldn't give in.

And when she had sent me the obvious challenge I was glad that I had kept the beast in me on a tight lash.

_No me caería a ella los encantos. _

_¡Pero dios, era duro!_

I nearly had to cuff myself to my desk. If it wouldn't have spurred my imagination I probably would have done it. Thankfully, she had mercy on us. For nearly an hour she worked as if she was a good little employee and most of the men returned to their work stations. Though little work was done, most were too occupied to not let her out of their hungry eyes.

I shuddered with dread when I saw her looking up at the camera. Cold sweat broke out when she slowly pushed away and stood up. I grinded my teeth when she leisurely stretched herself innocently.

Innocently. My ass.

Wary, I watched her prowling out of her cubicle, halfway dreading a repeat of the damn ice cubes, though I already guessed that she was too imaginative to choose the same tactic again. Instead of the kitchen area, she headed toward the back of the room. I raised an eyebrow. What did she want there? There was nothing there she could use for her little peepshow. Only some plants Ella insisted on keeping there to add to the room's atmosphere.

My fault.

When she took the water spray I sat up in alarm.

_¡Dios no. No eso!_

Steph tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and started to spray herself. Drops of water started to pearl down between her breasts, vanishing behind the top. She stopped spraying, apparently favoring the feel of the cool water on her damp skin, her lips slightly open.

_Por favor, ahora deje su parada... __No más..._

But no such luck. She raised the can again and let a new spray of water wash over her. Savoring it again. And that devil woman let us go through the whole procedure a third time.

Suddenly though she stopped and looked so shyly around her that I had to laugh, despite everything. But when she quenched herself behind some of the big trees, my laughter died on my lips.

What…

She crouched down and for a few moments she was covered… well, we could still see her head and the back of her shoulders. But not what she did there behind those trees and I felt myself hardening with the possibilities that played havoc with my mind. Finally, after seemingly half an eternity, she appeared back from behind the trees, straightening herself with a deep satisfied look on her face and her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

_¡Qué el infierno la tenía hecha detrás de esos árboles?!_

At first I couldn't defer it. All seemed in order. But when I narrowed my eyes I saw it: there were drops running down her legs. Coming from _under_ her skirt. From between her legs…

_Dios…_

I thought weekly, trying to get my harsh breathing and my fast pounding heart under control. Desperately, I tried to pry my eyes away from her, tried to ignore the painfully pulsing heat of my very determined cock. But I couldn't. By God, I couldn't.

She shook her hair back and put the water spray gently back to where she had taken it from, sporting a mysterious little smile. Then she looked up, directly into the next camera. Right into my eyes.

'Come take me,' she mouthed, the intensity, but also the sincerity and hope in her eyes striking my heart hard.

'Please.'

My control snapped and I got up with a growl.

_¡Maldígala!_

With difficulty, I strolled to the elevator, cursing her, cursing my poor self control and cursing this damn heat wave.

I took a deep breath while I waited and closed my eyes. And found myself back at the moment when I first slid myself deeply into her with such a forceful thrust I at first had feared that I had hurt her. But she was so… I just hadn't been able to stop myself. But when I had stopped, sheeted completely inside her, she had opened her beautiful blue eyes and smiled reassuringly and gently at me. It had been the moment when I had known I had finally come home.

Slowly, I opened my eyes again.

Fuck my reputation.

Fuck her safety.

_Ella es la mía. _

* * *

_**Translations:**_

_¡Cómo es estúpido! – How stupid!_

_Idiota inusitadamente! – What an idiot extraoridnaire!_

_¡Dios, qué esa mujer hizo a mí! – God, what that woman does to me!_

_¡Madre santa del dios! – Holy mother of God!_

_Si. No. ¡No podria pensar! – Yes. No. I can't think!_

_Soy muerto. – I'm dead._

_No me caería a ella los encantos. – I wouldn't fall to her charms._

_¡Pero dios, era duro! – But God, it was hard!_

_¡Dios no. No eso! – God no. Not that!_

_Por favor, ahora deje su parada... __No más... - Please, let her stop with this display now... __No more..._

_¡Qué el infierno la tenía hecha detrás de esos árboles?! - What the hell had she done behind those trees?!_

_¡Maldígala! – Damn her!_

_Ella es la mía. – She's mine_

* * *

TBC!

_(Author's Note: I'm glad you liked the first part so much and hope you'll like this one as well. Also, I do hope that I got the Spanish right. I fear, Spanish is not exactly my strong language... Thanks once again for the wonderful reviews and stay tuned for the next - and last - part!)_


	3. Chapter 3

**III**

He hadn't come after the ice cubes. Part of me was disappointed… another part excited. Because that meant I could have some more fun. Besides… I hadn't fallen in love with Ranger for him giving up easily.

So I waited patiently until the men had returned back to their places from their sudden break and quietly worked my researches, letting time pass a little. Giving them a false safe feeling, letting them believe that I was finished for now.

The perfect time for the next step in my plan. I was pretty sure that this would be the last one. At least I hoped so… I had not much idea of what I would do next, should this fail to bring the wizard down as well. But one thing after the other.

I stood up, smiling up into the camera and stretched myself. Then I walked over to the back of the room where a front of plants and trees stood – and a water spray can. I would have washed a car, but it's kinda hard to find a car here in the 6th floor. So the simple can would have to do…

After I sprayed myself three times an idea struck me… one I was sure would bring the man down – or rather up. It would just be really, really – dirty. Mom would kill herself, should she ever learn of it. But what the heck… I wanted my man. So I squished myself behind the trees and crouched down, spraying myself between my legs… hmm, that actually really felt good. Of course having Ranger there, between my legs, touching my most private parts, would be indefinitely better.

Soon. Soon, Steph.

With a smile at that thought I stood up again, straightening my clothes, well, what I wore, out and stepped into the open again, putting the water spray can down. I felt the heavy stares of the men on me, but not those I was seeking. Well… I could feel him watching. But he still wasn't here.

Ok. Time to help the matter a bit. And to let him know that I didn't care a dime about the dangers being with him could mean to me. I was a target for his enemies anyway. At least I could get what they all thought I already did get from him. Make life worth living for – and death even more. So I looked up into the camera.

"Come get me," I mouthed. An invitation – a plea. But now it was up to him. Either he came to get me – or I'd stop making a fool out of myself and would move on. There sure were enough interested parties alone here at RangeMan. But… none of them was Ranger. "Please," I whispered up at the camera, my heart pounding painfully.

I didn't want anyone else. I wanted Ranger and Ranger alone.

Suddenly, I felt the hair on the back of my neck, heck all my hair, standing up. Oh thank God! He was finally coming!

_Yes._

When the doors of the elevator opened I turned to face him. One glance and I suddenly had trouble breathing. Not to mention that I wished I was sitting. I didn't trust my knees entirely. It's not that he looked desperate or out of control or something. Actually, he looked pretty much in control. But his eyes… they were dark with craving need and I could almost feel his hardness all the way through the room.

Oh boy.

His eyes caught mine and I considered combusting on the spot. Jeez… what had I set free?

The strange thing though was that I wasn't even scared at the pure wildness in front of me. No. I was proud. And anticipating to get engulfed by that wildness. My heart pounded in exhilaration and I couldn't help the smile that formed on my face.

"Babe," he growled. There was no other word for that.

Oh, Batman wasn't too happy about losing his precious control, huh?

Good. Serves him right.

I blinded him with an innocent smile and arched my eyebrows.

So far he hadn't come out of the elevator. I think I had a pretty good idea why and you can bet it made me damn smug. Somehow I didn't think that there were many women out there that could say they made Ranger so hard he wouldn't want to risk walking in front of his men. Not that I thought for a second that they didn't know. But they were too smart to comment. Besides, it wasn't as if they hadn't similar problems as Ranger, no? Ranger knew that as well as me – but sometimes ignorance was the best way to deal with something you didn't like particularly. I should know. I was the queen of ignorance.

Hissing, Ranger said one word, accompanied with a glare. "Come."

For a very tiny, bad moment I contemplated coming right there on the spot. I hadn't minded the shows… they had been fun and basic Burg seduction after all. But I wasn't keen to make a whole porn here in front of the entire RangeMan staff – and the cameras. Besides… for what I had in mind with Ranger I didn't want an audience.

Still, if he thought I would jump and roll at his beck and call he was wrong. So I held up a finger to signalize him to wait a moment, crossed the room to my cubicle and got my bag. I doubted I would return here anytime soon. Swinging it over my shoulder I put the system on stand by, letting it finish the runs in progress, and then leisurely prowled over to join Ranger in the elevator. His eyes never let me out of his sight, his eyes and complexion dark – and hot. He pushed the button for the 7th floor and I smiled in anticipation.

Ranger and I stood on opposite sides and neither of us made a move to get closer or touch. I think we both knew we wouldn't make it out of this elevator if we did. Looked like I was not the only one who wasn't keen to give the Rangemen even more of a show.

We arrived and Ranger, with the fraction of a movement of his head, ordered me to get out. I wasn't too sure if I wanted the beast at my back, but I followed the order anyway and moved out and over to his door, Ranger following me – not too closely. He opened his door and waited with a glare for me to enter. I did him the favor. But I gotta say, as soon as I was inside I felt a bit of my self assurance going pooff. The door slammed shot and I swirled around to see Ranger standing in front of the door, his eyes eating me up but still wearing a very dark complexion.

Involuntarily I gulped – and shuddered – in anticipation. I wasn't afraid of him anymore. Oh, I was afraid he wouldn't want me for more than sex – but the mere thought of him touching me didn't throw me into panic attacks anymore.

"What. Were. You. Thinking?" he pressed out through a clenched jaw. His hands were fisted and I could tell he was just this short of losing his control.

Again I raised my eyebrows and shrugged. "That it was too hot to concentrate on work?" I asked, innocently, keeping the game going.

He was so fast I saw him barely moving, but in one big stride he was in front of me, had packed my shoulders, whirled me around and had me pressed against the wall in a flash, with my feet barely touching the ground. Very good. I wanted them someplace else anyway so I let the bag drop and slang my legs around his middle, putting my arms around his neck to help balancing me. Our faces only inches apart, I held his eyes as I lowered my butt a bit in curiosity. And sure enough, there I felt a hard shaft under me.

A shudder ran through him and with a muttered Spanish curse he pressed me harder into the wall.

"Babe," he breathed, warningly.

I leaned forward and gave him a light kiss, teasing with his lips only a little. "Yeah."

Ranger groaned but turned his head away, closing his eyes. "You. Don't. Know. What. You. Set. Free." Again he said it pressed out between his teeth, but there was a notch of desperation in his voice.

Smiling, I leaned in. "I don't care… Ric," I whispered into his ear.

I felt another tremble run through him as he let out a little gasp. Apparently he hadn't expected that. Well, he'd better adjust to it soon, because I wasn't finished yet. I lowered my butt a bit more, pressing myself against his rock hard erection and wriggled a bit.

Another Spanish curse escaping him, he put his hands on my buttocks and lifted me up and away a bit, causing me to whimper a protest. I glared at him and his dark eyes held my glare, drawing me more and more into him until I had the feeling that he had eaten me up with his eyes – body and soul. His head lowered and he caught my lips with his. But it was only a chaste kiss.

"You should have," he whispered, his hold on me tightening. But he still wouldn't lower me again. "But it's too late now, Babe. No going back anymore," he warned me, a subtle growl accompanying his words.

My heart jumped in elation. About damn time!

I kissed him. Deep. Long. Hard. When I broke it I stroked with my cheek along his until my mouth was at his ear again. "Good," I breathed. "It so happens that I love you. And the only direction I want to go is forward," I confessed with a smile, my voice light. Who'd have thought it would be so easy to say it if it's the right person to hear it?

He froze.

* * *

For the first time in my life I was frozen. Completely. Body, mind, soul. Everything was frozen.

Did she just…

Did she really…

"Ranger?"

With trouble I grew aware that she had drawn back, looking at me with a frown between her soulful eyes. I wished I could have said something to her. Anything. But I couldn't. I just couldn't. God, how could people stand such a frozen, helpless state? And how could they break out of it?

Understanding flickered in her eyes and the frown seized to be replaced by a tender, warm smile. I felt her hands cupping my face and her eyes shone out at me.

"Te amo, Ricardo Carlos Manoso."

Her soft words broke through my stupor and an entire world of nearly unsupportable emotions descended upon me. Not that I cared. All that mattered were the two words that repeated themselves in my mind over and over.

_Te amo._

Jesus Christ.

She loved me.

_She loved me…_

Every sense of reason left me as my heart reeled at the sudden certainty seeping in. Her lips touched mine and my body came alive in a burst of searing fire. I crushed her to me and invaded her mouth with my tongue, meeting her passion with mine, causing it to explode ten folds. Hungrily, I drank her essence into me, until I thought I would burst any time now. World and time fell away until there was only my Babe left anymore and my need to make us one once and for all.

_La mia. Para ahora y por siempre._

There was only one overwhelming need left in me. To bury myself as deeply in her as human possibly – and some more.

_Pero no aquí._

My last ounce of reason penetrated through the haze of this crazy craving. Not like this. There was time for this later.

_Mucho, mucho, mucho tiempo mucho, mucho, mucho más adelante._

But not for our first official lovemaking. With difficulty I staggered away from the wall and tried to find my way over to my bedroom, not breaking our feverish kiss though. Walking had become nearly impossible and with my head buried against hers I hardly could see anything. Just good that I knew my apartment pretty damn well…

Finally, after ages, I felt my knees bumping against my bed and instead of trying to keep my balance I let us fall onto the silk sheets. Only now did we break our kiss. She stared up at me, her eyes so open, so trusting, so full of love that I nearly chocked.

_No merecí esto. No la merezco._

She moved a hand to stroke over my face, cupping my left cheek. I closed my eyes as the sensations of this trusting, intimate gesture engulfed me and I leaned into her touch.

"I love you, Ric," she whispered. "So much that it almost hurts."

_Dios._

I grinded my teeth and was off her in a flash, my breath going harsh with the struggle to hold myself back. My Babe looked over to me, confused, but her eyes lit up when I started to rip my clothes away from me. I've never gotten naked so fast in my life. I returned my whole attention back to the beauty on my bed who was mine now. When I slowly stalked the two steps back to my bed, her eyes started to shine in a wicked gleam and she welcomed me with a feral smile.

_¡Jesús, una qué tentación ella es!_

She didn't flicker even with an eye when I leaned down to rip that ridiculous excuse of an outfit off of her, groaning in sweet torture when I saw the proof that she hadn't wore anything under that skirt. Another time, I would take the time to slowly undress her, but I hadn't the patience for it now. I could consider myself lucky that I lasted so long. My dick was throbbing so hard that it hurt like hell by now. I even considered to leaving her boots on. But a faint voice in my head reminded me that we would have it more comfortable without them – and there would be more silken skin for me to savor.

A second later the boots were gone and she finally laid in all her stupendous glory before me. I moved to kneel over her, taking her soft golden beauty in for a moment, before my eyes returned to hers, getting enraptured by the blue depths watching me amused – and aroused.

"Like what you see?" my Babe asked, smugly.

Well, she had every right to be smug. Besides, it wasn't as if she didn't pay me back my appreciating wonder likewise either. I smiled and lowered myself down to her to press two hungry, but tender kisses on each of her breasts. At my touch she gasped and bowed toward me.

At least I wasn't the only one close to instant combusting. Neither of us could hold back much longer. But there was something I first had to get out.

I raised myself a little again to stare down into her unfocused eyes. The sight didn't do much for my weak control.

"Stephanie," I called out, savoring her name as it came from my lips.

Surprised at hearing her name, her eyes focused back to me. Tenderly, I cupped her cheek now and stared into her eyes for a long moment. "Te amo. Te amo, Stephanie Michelle Plum," I said quietly, but as serious as I've ever been in my life. "El dios me ayuda, te amo más que cualquier cosa en este universo."

Her eyes welled up with joy and happiness and she nodded once. She turned her head and pressed a kiss into the palm of my hand, the light touch the last drop to set me free. Completely and without one restraint left in me. With half a cry, I descended down to her where her lips already awaited me hungrily and her legs spread to circle my waist again. Not able to resist the temptation any moment longer I pushed myself deeply into her and this time cried out at the wet tightness that welcomed me home. Our eyes met again at this one perfect moment and we both knew that this was what we had waited for all our life. Her walls clasped around me, squeezing, and I shuddered with the effort to not come right then. Never losing our passionate eye contact I drew back out of her to plunge a second time into her, deeper than before. She moaned, her eyes daring to roll up in ecstasy, but she fought to keep our eyes locked. Our fingers entwined as I started to rock her in a steadily increasing pace and force. She met my every stroke, her walls clasping tight and tighter around me and I knew it was only a question of moments anymore before we would come. With a last forceful thrust I plunged into her and she cried out my name when I hit her inner most center, compulsing around me as the wave of her orgasm rode her, making me come with a roar, that was her name, riding the orgasm with her until I had spilled myself completely into her and I collapsed onto the top of her.

I have no idea how long we were lying there, completely exhausted. At some point I grew aware that she gingerly stroked over my back.

"_Dios,_" I commented, once I found my breath back.

My Babe laughed. "Yeah," she agreed as her hands moved lower.

I summoned the strength to lift my head to look incredulously into her laughing, happy eyes. I shook my head, but smiled. "You will be my death."

She grinned. "Ah no, I don't think so. I've chosen you not just for your Adonis like body, your brain or even all your guns and money."

I raised an eyebrow, amused. "No?"

"Nope." She shook her head. "Mostly I've chosen you solely for your stamina. Which is, as I remember, excellent."

I threw my head back and laughed out loud. But I didn't contradict her. Couldn't deny the truth after all. And a certain part of me was already rapidly rising to prove her choice right.

"See?" she asked with a grin as she felt the growing inside her, her eyes darkening though.

Instead of answering, I moved to kiss her tenderly. I've never been a man of many words. I let actions speak.

Damn time my Babe finally started to learn that language.

With a laugh she broke our kiss and lightly slapped me on my chest. I raised an eyebrow.

"How's it now with that air conditioning?" she asked, her eyes innocently.

Damn. And I had hoped I could make her forget about it. I should have known better and anticipated that this question would come sooner or later. When my Babe was on a mission, she was on a mission and wouldn't stop until she had fulfilled it.

Again I chose to skip any words and leaned in to kiss her again. I think she wanted to break away again to get her answer, but I moved my hip a little and she gave in to our growing need. For now.

I knew she wouldn't stop before she got what she wanted. And by God, I wouldn't survive another day like this one. Besides, I couldn't afford to shoot most of my men for goggling my woman.

And she damn well knew it.

If I wouldn't love her so much I could throttle her.

So I would go check out the various shops tomorrow morning. Well, actually Tank would probably already have found the best offers by then, so I would just have to place the order. I would need to find another way to keep the lazy asses of my men out of the office. Hmm… perhaps I could convince my Babe to let her Grandmother Mazur visit her regularly each day. Yeah, that could do the trick. It would also teach them to tease me about my failure to resist one curly haired woman.

It was pretty embarrassing.

But then, I was now the luckiest man on Earth, so no complaints whatsoever.

_Ella vale todo._

_La mía finalmente __y para toda la eternidad__._

**The End**

* * *

_Translations:_

_Te amo, Ricardo Carlos Manoso. – I love you, Ricardo Carlos Manoso_

_La mia. Para ahora y por siempre. – Mine. __For now and forever._

_Pero no aquí. – But not here._

_Mucho, mucho, mucho tiempo mucho, mucho, mucho más adelante. – Much, much, much time a very, very, very lot later._

_No merecí esto. __No la merezco. – I didn't deserve that. __I don't deserte her._

_¡Jesús, una qué tentación ella era! – Jesús, what a temptation she was!_

_El dios me ayuda, te amo más que cualquier cosa en este universo. – God help me, I love you more than anything else in this universe._

_Ella vale todo. - She's worth everything._

_La mía finalmente __y para toda la eternidad__. - Mine at last and for all eternity._

* * *

_(Author's Note: And it's already finished! I hope you enjoyed this ride as much as me! For those who took the time to review: Thank you so much! I really love every word you can give me!  
I'm leaving Sunday for a three week holidays, so I'll post a couple of one shots until then. After Spain I'll have a longer story ready for you, I think, perhaps even more. We'll see. Hope you'll enjoy the one-shots!)_


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